Solar cells are devices that convert the sun's energy into electricity using the photovoltaic effect. Solar power is an attractive energy source because it is sustainable and non-polluting. Accordingly, a great deal of research is currently being devoted to developing solar cells with enhanced efficiency while maintaining low material and manufacturing costs. Very simply, when photons in sunlight hit a solar panel, they are absorbed by semiconducting materials, such as silicon. Electrons are knocked loose from their atoms, allowing them to flow through electroconductive parts of the solar panel and produce electricity.
The most common solar cells are those based on silicon, more particularly, a p-n junction made from silicon by applying an n-type diffusion layer onto a p-type silicon substrate, coupled with two electrical contact layers or electrodes. In order to minimize reflection of the sunlight by the solar cell, an antireflection coating, such as silicon nitride, is applied to the n-type diffusion layer to increase the amount of light coupled into the solar cell. Using a silver paste, for example, a grid-like metal contact may be screen printed onto the antireflection layer to serve as a front electrode. This electrical contact layer on the face or front of the cell, where light enters, is typically present in a grid pattern made of “finger lines” and “bus bars” rather than a complete layer because the metal grid materials are not transparent to light. Finally, a rear contact is applied to the substrate, such as by applying a backside silver or silver/aluminum paste followed by an aluminum paste to the entire backside of the substrate. The device is then fired at a high temperature to convert the metal pastes to metal electrodes. A description of a typical solar cell and the fabrication method thereof may be found, for example, in European Patent Application Publication No. 1 713 093.
A typical silver paste comprises silver particles, glass frit (glass particles), a metal oxide additive, such as zirconium oxide or tin oxide to enhance binding of the composition to the solar panel, and an organic vehicle. These components must be carefully selected to take full advantage of the potential of the resulting solar cell. For example, it is necessary to maximize the contact between the silver particles and the Si surface so that the charge carriers can flow through the finger lines to the bus bars. If the resistance is too high, the charge carriers are blocked. Thus, minimizing contact resistance is desired. Additionally, the glass particles in the composition etch through the antireflection coating layer, resulting in contact between the Ag particles and the Si surface. However, the glass must not be so aggressive that it penetrates the p-n junction. Finally, known compositions have high contact resistance due to the insulating effect of the glass in the interface of silver layer and Si wafer, and other disadvantages such as high recombination in the contact area. Accordingly, silver paste compositions which can overcome these known disadvantages would be desirable.